1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to solid rubber tires of the type that may be bonded to wheels of vehicles and in particular to tire and wheel assemblies for heavy construction equipment.
2. Background Art
Solid rubber tires with a plurality of cushioning holes have been used on heavy construction equipment as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,934 to Giles A. Hill, III et al., the applicants herein, issued Feb. 13, 2007. Such tires have been constructed with side holes formed in the shapes of cylinders into the sidewalls of the tires oriented generally parallel with the axis of rotation and the diameters of the side holes were typically in the range of between about 1.5 inches and 6 inches in diameter to provide good cushioning with relatively few holes made into the solid rubber of the tire. A plurality of cushioning side holes were formed in several rings all closely spaced at small tire radii from the axis of rotation close to the wheel rim and spaced circumferentially around the rings at regular distances. The cylindrical cushioning holes were formed at the small tire radii inward from a wear layer of the tire to avoid wearing into the holes. Wearing into the cushioning holes could result in an uneven rolling surface due to the significant diameter of the voids that would be created by the cylindrical holes if the tread layer wore through. Thus, the wear layer of solid rubber extended a significant distance outward from the cushioning holes. In the past such solid rubber tires with cushioning holes have functioned well and have provided both cushioning and durability for the intended purposes in industrial environments of daily use.